Mechanical pencil



S s L E U lu D MECHANICAL PENCIL Filed oct. 5o, 1943 l lNvEN-roR .Dm/1d ./21@ /Jf BY @m12 www'. v LWL ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1944 MECHANICAL PENCIL David Juelss, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to American Lead Pencil Company, Hoboken, N. Vil., a corporation of New York Application October 30, 1943, Serial No. 508,325

(CL 1Z0-17) 15 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical pencils and particularly to improvements in pencils in which the lead is advanced by a step-by-step operation.

There have been numerous suggestions for the construction of pencils of the type described and some of these have been developed and used as commercial products. Most of the structures employed are intricate and delicate. The parts involve costly manufacturing operations and assembly of the parts to provide the nished pencils frequently presents dimculties which increasesthe expenseof manufacturing. Some of the mechanisms fail after the pencils are in use for brief periods and hence are not entirely satisfactory.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple, rugged and effective mechanism which is relatively easy to manufacture and assemble and which aords a magazine pencil in which the leads can be fed as required by manipulation of a projecting member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the pencil showing the mechanism in writing position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanism displaced to advance the lead;

Fig.A 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. l; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. i; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 8 6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the collet with the lead grippingmembers thereon; and

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawing, i indicates a casing of suitable material, for example metal or plastic, which is generally cylindrical in form though the cross-sectional contour may be circular, hexagonal or otherwise to afford a pleasing exterior appearance. At one end a tapered extension 6, which also may be of metalor plastic, is Secured to the casing E, for example, by threads 1. The extension 6 has an orifice 8 through which the lead 9 projects and is preferably provided with a tubular lead guide I0 fitting tightly therein and adording an abutment ii, the function of which will presently be apparent.

The casing t has an internal flange I2 affording a shoulder for a spring I3 and acting as a guide for a sleeve M having a shoulder I5. The spring il) resting between thilange i2 and the shoulder it normally holds the sleeve in the position indicated in Fig. l. but permits inward movement of the sleeve against the tension of the spring.

The sleeve it has slots i6 to receive a nut i1 which threadedly engages the inner surface of the casing 5. thus holding the parts in assembled relation. The length of the slots I 6 is such as to permit the necessary movement of the sleeve which is enlarged at its outer end to provide an abutment I8 and a cup I9 to receive the magazine 20. The magazine has a conical bottom 2| and a tubular extension 22 acting as a guide to direct the sticks of lead 9 into the lead passage 22 in the nut I'l. A recess 23 in the nut I1 receives and guides the extension 22. A cap 24 on the magazine closes the latter and extends beyond the casing 5 to afford the actuating means which may be manipulated with the finger of the user to depress the sleeve I4.

Loosely disposed Within the sleeve il is a collet 25 having a plurality of resilient arms 26 at both ends thereof. Each of the arms carries a lead gripping member 21, the members at one end being provided with a cam surface 28. The arms 28 are biased outwardly so that the gripping members 21 release the lead when the collet is free as shown in Fig. 2.

At its lower end the sleeve I4 has a cam surface 29 which is adapted to ride upon the outer surface of the adjacent members 21, causing the latter to grip the lead. The nut i1 has a recess 30 terminating in a cam surface 3l. When the adjacent members 21 of the collet 25 enter the recess 30 and the cam surfaces 3i and 28 are engaged, the adjacent members 21 will grip the lead. This' is the normal writing position of the parts as shown in Fig. l.

Whenthe lead is to be advanced, the user depresses the cap 24, thus advancing the sleeve i4 against the tension of the spring i3. As the sleeve advances, it carries collet 25 with it by reason of the frictional engagement between the surface 29 with the adjacent members 21 until the end of the collet engages the abutment Ii. At this point the sleeve continues to advance into the recess 32 around the lead guide itl, thus releasing the gripping members 21 which spring outwardly, leaving the lead in advanced position as shown in Fig. 2. Meanwhile, the members 21 at 1the opposite end of the collet have been withdrawn from the recess 30 so that t-he lead is free at both ends of the collet.

When the user releases the cap 25, the spring I3 moves the sleeve I 6i backwardly, carrying the collet 25 with it. The members 21 at the upper end of the collet 25 enter the recess 3l! and finally engage cam surfaces il, thereby gripping the lead. The sleeve I4 continues its movement and the cam surface 29 rides over the adjacent members 21, causing them to grip the lead which is thus firmly held in writing position. The operation may be repeated as desired. The pieces of lead follow each other .from the magazine 2li and are advanced gradually by successive operations as the lead is consumed.

The pencil includes a minimum number of parts which may be produced easily and cheaply by simple mechanical operations. Assembly of the parts is facilitated by the simplicity of the structure. It is necessary merely to drop the collet 25 into the sleeve I4, insert the nut in the slots II and screw the nut into the casing against the tension of the spring I3. The magazine 20 with the cap 24 thereon is then inserted in the cup It and the pencil is ready for operation.

Various changes may be made in the structure as described without departing from the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. In a mechanical pencil. a casing, a collet having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof and operating mechanism adapted when actuated to advance the gripping means and propel the lead and to release the gripping means when the operating mechanism is retracted.

2. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a collet having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof, and operating mechanism, including a sleeve frictionally engaging the gripping means at one end of the collet and adapted when actuated to advance the gripping means and propel the lead and to release the gripping means when the operating mechanism is retracted.

3. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a collet having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof, stationary means adapted to hold the gripping means at one end of the collet in gripping relation to the lead, and operating mechanism adapted when actuated to advance the gripping means and propel the lead and to release the gripping means when the operating mechanism is retracted.

4. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a collet having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof, and operating mechanism, including a sleeve frlctionally engaging the gripping means at the other end of the collet, adapted when actuated to advance the gripping 1 means and propel the lead and to release the gripping means when the operating mechanism is retracted.

5. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable in the casing, a collet having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof and means on the casing and sleeve adapted when engaging the lead gripping means to hold them in gripping position. 6. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable in the casing; a collet movable with and relatively to the sleeve and having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof, and means on the casing and sleeve adapted when engaging the lead gripping means to hold them in gripping position.

7. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable in the casing, a collet movale with and relatively to the sleeve and having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof, means on the casing and sleeve adapted when engaging the lead gripping means to hold them in gripping position, and an abutment to limit movement of the collet when the sleeve is advanced to propel the lead.

8. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable in the casing, a collet having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof, means on the casing and sleeve .adapted when engaging the lead gripping means to hold them in gripping position, manually actuatable means to advance the sleeve and resillent means to retract the sleeve when it is released.

9. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable in the casing, a collet movable with and relatively to the sleeve and having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof, means on the casing and sleeve adapted when engaging the lead gripping means to hold them in gripping position, manually actuatable means to advance the sleeve and resilient means to retract the sleeve when it is released.

10. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciproca-ble in the casing, a collet movable with and relatively to the sleeve and having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof, means on the casing and sleeve adapted when engaging the lead gripping means to hold them in gripping position, an abutment to limit movement of the collet when the sleeve is advanced to propel the lead, manually actuatable means to advance the sleeve and resilient means to retract the sleeve when it is released.

11. In a, mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable therein, means .permitting actuat ing of the sleeve in one direction, resilient means to retract the sleeve, a collet movable with and relatively to the sleeve and having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof and means for holding the gripping means in gripping position when the sleeve is retracted.

12. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable therein: means permitting actuating of the sleeve in one direction, resilient means to retract the sleeve, a collet movable with and relatively to the sleeve and having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof, and means for holding the gripping means in gripping position when the sleeve is retracted, including a cam surface at one end of the sleeve adapted to engage the gripping means at one end of the collet and a stationary member having a cam surface to engage the gripping means at the other end of the collet.

13. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable therein, a lead magazine supported in the sleeve, means permitting actuationof the sleeve in one direction, resilient means to retract the sleeve, a collet movable with and relatively to the sleeve and having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof and means for holding the gripping means in gripping position when the sleeve is retracted.

14. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable therein, a lead magazine supported in the sleeve, means permitting actuating of the sleeve in one direction, resilient means to retract the sleeve, a collet movable with and relatively to the sleeve and having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite endsthereof, and means for holding the gripping means in gripping position when the sleeve is retracted, including a cam surface at one end of the sleeve adapted to engage the gripping means at one end of the collet and a stationary member having a cam surface to engage the gripping means at the other end of the collet. l

15. In a mechanical pencil, a casing, a sleeve reciprocable in the casing, a lead magazine supported in the sleeve, a collet having resiliently biased lead gripping means at opposite ends thereof and means on the casing and sleeve adapted when engaging the lead gripping means to hold them in gripping position.

DAVID JUELSS. 

